Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Of Barbours and Bikers


I’ve been trying to imagine a perfect, rugged fall jacket.

My nylon Prada works wonderfully in an urban setting, but it’s not the thing for running through the meadow with my boisterous hound.

As a girl in Canada, I typically wore an Inuit embroidered parka in winter—lovely but a straight column. In university (in the 1980s) I remember lamenting the lack of fitted winterwear; I’d resignedly think that one cannot be stylish *and* warm in the great north.

But now—several years later, body-warming technology and cold-weather style have finally made a free trade agreement. So my number one criterion (following warmth!) is that this hypothetical jacket must have a nipped-in waist.

And Barbour, that venerable English institution, has a fantastic motorcycle jacket (elegantly renamed the “international” for “ladies,” though I’d stick with the biker jacket moniker).


Although I don’t like to wear black next to my face (I think it can be too harsh), this lined, heavy jacket looks to be a soft black, which makes all the difference.

And look: not only a nipped-in waist, but a belt, which I love. It’s kind of Gstaad interpreted by English biker/moor-romper dudes.

**P.S. This is not may favorite photo--the sleeves look a tad short, but you get the idea . . .

8 comments:

  1. so glad you posted a photo below as well...i do get a much better idea as to how it looks on. love the belt, the pockets and the sleeves!

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  2. I used to HATE down jackets/coats with their sleeping-bag shape. Now there are so many awesome options.

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  3. I wish I had a photo of the dreadful Michael Kors down coat I wore last winter. It looked like one part Count Chocula and one part sleeping bag. This is a much better shape.

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  4. Perfect. Pick one up for me, too, please. Perfect for fall-to-MN-winter.

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  5. That looks perfect! I wonder if you could soften the look if you wore it with a scarf?

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  6. i don't think i have a outdoor let's mountain hike jacket. last time i went to visit redwood forest in san francisco, thinking a walk in the park (as told by brother in law) I wore a cashmere sweater, moschino fitted coat and prada flats. yes, that was hell for me.

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  7. It is entirely Gstaad interpreted by English biker/moor-romper dudes. Excellently phrased. And I am extremely grateful for the developments in warm, sleek textiles and tailoring for ultimate fit.

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  8. Praise the advancement in fabric tech!? It's a cool military look. I think silver-grey wool/silk/pashmina scarf of some sort will soften the black nicely. I can see you wearing a pair of cool knee high riding boots.

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Thank you for your thoughtful comments!